Received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and a Doctorate in Astrophysics (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Rome in 1978. Post-doctoral fellowship in plasma physics at the Thermonuclear Research Centre of CNEN from 1979-1980. Iin 1984, he became a permanent researcher of the Space Physics Institute (IFSI-CNR) and was involved in the Research on Electrodynamic Tether Effects (RETE) experiment.
He was one of the payloads selected for the Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1). Umberto Guidoni became in 1996 NASA astronaut.
Since 2004 Umberto Guidoni is Italian Member of the European Parliament.
His hobbies include Music, volleyball, soccer, swimming.